Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘Sharky’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Sharky’ particularly characterized by flowers which are yellow with a purple mark in the center; the labellum is purple with a little yellow and white; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Sharky’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Sharky’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Sharky’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors, René Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Sharky’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 1999 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Fortune Green’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Romance Valentine’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Sharky’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2006 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture was first performed in July, 2007 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Sharky’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. flowers which are yellow with a purple mark in the center;         the labellum is purple with a little yellow and white;     -   2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;     -   3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using         tissue culture;     -   4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and     -   5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Sharky’, the female parent ‘Fortune Green’ has yellow/green colored flowers with a purple/red labellum, the male parent ‘Romance Valentine’ has pink colored flowers with in at the base darker pink/purple, whereas the flowers of ‘Sharky’ are yellow with at the base some red/purple spots. Labellum is red/purple with some white and yellow

Presently, the commercial cultivar to which ‘Sharky’ can be meaningfully compared is ‘Feline’ (Registered; NL PBR Grant No. 33511). The flowers of ‘Feline’ are darker yellow and the labellum is darker purple than the flowers of ‘Sharky’. Also, ‘Sharky’ has more purple in the center of the flower and the flowers are smaller in size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Sharky’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Sharky’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sharky’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical buds and flowers of ‘Sharky’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Sharky’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Sharky’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Sharky’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Sharky’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Sharky’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Sharky’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Sharky’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Sharky’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Fortune Green’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Romance Valentine’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 4 mm-8             mm wide and green (RHS 137C) and greyed/green (RHS 193C) in             color; freely branching. It takes 12 weeks for plants             growing in tissue culture to initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height (from bottom of pot to highest             flower): about 55 cm to 60 cm. Spread: about 42 cm to 60 cm.         -   Growth habit.—Standard; green (RHS N137A) leaves and a             relatively short raceme.         -   Vigor.—Moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 2 racemes with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 8 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—Half up/horizontal and             asymmetric.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—Oval, the tip is blunt and             asymmetric.         -   Texture (both surfaces).—Smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Leaf base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Mature leaf length.—About 14 to 23 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—About 7 to 11 cm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—About 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color (upper surface).—Green (RHS N137A).         -   Mature leaf color (under surface).—Green (RHS N137C).         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel. Color of mid vein: upper             surface RHS 139A, under surface RHS 137B. -   Raeceme:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 1 to 2.         -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 6 to 16.         -   Length.—About 40 to 53 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 to 5 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright.         -   Texture.—Glabrous and smooth.         -   Color.—Dark green (RHS 137B).         -   Internode.—Length: about 28 mm to 45 mm. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 18 to 23 mm. Diameter             (at midpoint): about 10 to 22 mm. Shape: egg-shaped. Color:             yellow/green (RHS 158B).         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 2             racemes appear with about 16 to 20 flower buds and flowers             per inflorescence. First flowers can be expected             approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a plant with a             leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at             opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: Typical shape of             Phalaenopsis orchid; see FIG. 2. Size (of single bloom):             Height: about 70 to 80 mm. Diameter: about 80 to 85 mm.             Depth of tube: about 15 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: three petals and three             sepals that are trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2             whorls. Petals are more pronounced than sepals. Arrangement:             Inner whorl comprises 3 petals: 2 lateral petals and             labellum. 2 lateral petals: Overall shape: broadly ovate,             little triangular and weakly cupped. Apex: oval. Margin:             entire and weakly undulate. Base: broadly ovate. Length:             about 40 mm. Width: about 38 mm. Texture: Upper surface:             smooth and satiny. Under surface: smooth and satiny. Color             (when fully opened): main color upper & under surface is             yellow (RHS 4D). At the base red/purple marks (RHS N74B).             The younger flowers are more RHS 4C. Labellum: Overall             shape: 3-lobed with 2 prominent callosities at central             junction of the lateral lobes and base of the midlobe.             Lateral lobes of labellum fold upward about the column; the             midlobe extends forward and is terminated by 2 stubs             appendages at the apex. Lateral lobes of the labellum are             ovate in shape while the midlobe is triangular with a bump             and a rib on it. Margin: entire and weakly undulate. Length:             about 22 mm. Width (not flattened): about 18 mm. Apex: oval,             little pointy. Texture: Upper & under surface: smooth and             satiny. Color (when fully opened): Main color labellum is             red/purple (RHS 72B). At the base of the mid lobe some             yellow (RHS 7A) and white (RHS NN155C) which turns into             red/purple in the center (RHS 60B). The base of the lateral             lobes is yellow (RHS 7A) and white (RHS NN155C) with             red/purple stripes and spots (RHS 59B). Cirrhi is white and             in the run-up to the cirrhi is a white line (RHS NN155C).             Cirrhi: short. Color: white (RHS NN155C). Pestle             (Callosities): Length: about 5 mm. Width (not flattened):             about 5 mm. Height: about 7 mm. Color: white (RHS NN155C),             on top some yellow (RHS 7A) with red/purple spots and             stripes (RHS 59B).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals. Overall             shape: elliptical and weakly cupped. Length: about 43 mm.             Width: about 27 mm. Texture: Upper & under surface: smooth             and satiny. Color (when fully opened): upper surface:             green/yellow (RHS 4D), with red/purple strips and spots (RHS             59B). Under surface: green/yellow (RHS 4C).         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 28 to 45 mm. Diameter: about 4 mm.             Texture: glabrous and smooth. Color: At the base             yellow/green (RHS 147A). Center is yellow/green (RHS 149D)             and at the end white (RHS 155C). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 11 mm. Diameter: about 7 mm. Color:             white (RHS NN155C).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: Two. Size: about 1 mm. Color: orange             (RHS 24A).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 4 mm. Diameter: about 6 mm. Color:             white (RHS NN155C). -   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Sharky’, as illustrated and described herein. 